Friday, April 11, 2014

Dear Jodie - K is for The Karate Kid

So many scenes in this wonderful movie stirred my emotions.The final victory scene was the most
exhilarating.

The most touching for me, though was Mr. Miyagi's drunken
lament for his lost wife and child.Here, more than any other moment, I think, sealed the relationship
between Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi.

Here, Daniel-san understood.So, too, did Mr. Miyagi.

This scene struck me a little harder than it might have
otherwise because I grew up with two kids whose parents were confined to internment
camps beginning in 1942, as had Mr. Miyagi's wife.My friend's parents never spoke of it, nor
was it more than a passing reference in history class, until my high school
American history teacher spoke of it in detail as one of the darker sides of
American history.

But that's by the way.

The rest of Daniel-san's training contributed to his growth,
wax-on-wax-off, paint the fence, sand the floor, but the moment when Daniel
understood the pain of an old man, and the old man saw that realization in the
eyes of his student completed the molding of their relationship.

At least to my mind.

Daniel's relationship with Ali was nice, and part of me
wishes they had taken it deeper, but on reflection, that might have taken away
from the main story of Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi.

Are you looking at this relationship too, Jodie?

This is the tale of an underdog, and I love those stories. The Karate Kid is one of the better ones
because it beautifully doubles as a coming of age story.

9 out of 10 for me! Every time I watch it, I am moved in so many ways!

The director John G. Avildsen directed another movie we take
on a little later in the month! One made about eight years prior. You can't read it, but the picture below was actually autographed to me, and gives a hint.

I wonder how many of our wonderful readers will guess!

Another bit of trivia . . .

Larry B. Scott who played the role of Jerry in The Karate Kid went on to star in a TV
show called Super Force.I had a nice guest spot in an episode of Super Force and appeared in a scene with
him.